The Indian ruling elite was fundamentally dynastic until British imperialism established itself in India. The eldest son would automatically ascend the throne upon the demise of the Raja (King). Sometimes, there were instances of internecine infighting within the family to capture power. However, the right to the throne remained within the family. Throughout history, we have read glowing references to great dynasties. Even in our mythology, the system of passing the reign was dynastic. Imperialism marked the decline of dynasties in what became known as British India. The final blow to monarchy occurred with the integration of princely states into independent India. Let us see if any remnants of dynastic rule persisted in democratic India.
Jawaharlal Nehru was India’s first prime minister, serving from August 15, 1947 to May 27, 1964. Nehru, who died while in office, was not succeeded by his sole heir, Indira Gandhi. Lal Bahadur Shastri succeeded Nehru, becoming the second Prime Minister of India. However, Shastri’s tenure was cut short abruptly by his sudden death on January 11, 1966, during an official trip abroad. Indira Gandhi emerged from her father’s shadows to become the third Prime Minister of India, succeeding Shastri. This succession cannot be termed dynastic.
Indira Gandhi held the PM’s position from January 24, 1966 to March 24, 1977 and again from January 14, 1980 to October 31, 1984. During her first term, she led the Congress party to two successive victories in the 1967 and 1971 general elections with a comfortable majority. After the Emergency period, Congress was routed in 1977. Indira Gandhi herself lost her parliamentary seat. The will of the electorate prevailed.
Returning to power in the 1980 mid-term polls, Indira Gandhi resumed the Prime Minister’s office on January 14, 1980. Tragically, she was assassinated on October 31, 1984, towards the end of her five-year term. Rajiv Gandhi took the oath as Prime Minister on October 31, 1984, after the assassination of his mother Indira Gandhi. This can be considered a dynastic succession for the remaining term of Lok Sabha, which lasted for two months. Riding on a sympathy wave, Congress secured a landslide victory in the general elections. After winning the people’s mandate, Rajiv Gandhi took office again on December 31, 1984, for a full five-year term until December 2, 1989. Congress lost the general elections in 1989, even though Rajiv Gandhi personally won his parliamentary constituency.
V P Singh succeeded Rajiv Gandhi as PM in 1989, leading a fledgling coalition. Mid-term elections were held in 1991, during which Rajiv Gandhi was brutally assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber on May 21, 1991.
In the 1991 general elections, Congress scraped through to get a simple majority and managed to form a government with P V Narasimha Rao as the ninth Prime Minister of India from June 21, 1991 to May 16, 1996. Like Shastri, Narasimha Rao also did not belong to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Congress remained out of power from 1996 to 2004 during which period, mostly Atal Behari Vajpayee of the BJP remained the Prime Minister--first for 13 days in 1996, then for 13 months from 1998 to 1999, followed by a full term from 1999 to 2004.
In the general elections to Lok Sabha in 2004, the UPA (with Congress as the largest constituent) trumped the BJP-led NDA to gain power in the Centre. The UPA repeated this victory in the 2009 elections. Manmohan Singh of Congress remained the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. In the general elections held in 2014 and 2019, the BJP emerged victorious,largely due to the personal popularity of Narendra Modi.
Since Rajiv Gandhi stepped down as PM on Dec 2, 1989, no other member of the Nehru-Gandhi family has held any ministerial position anywhere, let alone the PM’s office. As we approach the next general elections due in 2024, it will have been 25 years since a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family held India’s highest office. Where is the dynasty? Should the right of a scion to participate in political space be forfeited?